


Dinner and a Slow-Burn Revenge

by raptormoon



Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Gen, Non-Graphic Violence, Not a Song-Fic, Violence, but Tamatoa's perspective during Shiny, but really I didn't write this with that in mind, hints of past MauixTamatoa, if you're into that, please watch at least that scene before reading this bc I'm sure I left a lot of holes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-16 06:23:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11248131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raptormoon/pseuds/raptormoon
Summary: The day had started out very promising: woke up from a pleasant dream, found a shiny snack.Then Maui showed up. And despite Tamatoa's misgivings, his day actually got better.(Tamatoa's POV during "Shiny.")(Companion piece to 'This Was Supposed To Be Easy')





	Dinner and a Slow-Burn Revenge

**Author's Note:**

> Half of me didn't want to write this, and I'm STILL not convinced it actually does any credit to Tamatoa or his scene in the movie. But half of me _did_ want to write it and I got some encouragement along the way, so here it is.
> 
> Also I was planning to post this tomorrow for "Tamatoa Tuesday," but I'm sick and should be napping but my MIL has the kids so here I am using my free time for this. You're welcome.

In the middle of a terrific dream, involving golden fish and lots of legs, noises began to filter through. A war drum, perhaps; but that was silly, since he hadn’t heard any instruments at all since settling in Lalotai, and anyway it wasn’t like anybody around thought they could take him in a fight.

Tamatoa dismissed the noise, and returned to his dream. Falling tentacles and burning ropes wrapped around the sun, and flashes of dark, curly hair.

_ Maui. _

Well, and wasn’t that just the name to turn a dream into a nightmare. He let his mind blink awake, leaving the dream to the realm of pleasantness before it could go any further, and shifted to stand up.

Almost immediately, Tamatoa realized there was  _ something _ standing on his shell. A tiny something. A snack, perhaps?

He swiveled his eyes to look, and a glimmer caught his attention. Well now! This warranted further investigation!

He let his antennae passively sweep for information whilst allowing his eyes to ogle the brightness before him. What is this shiny thing under a shell with only two legs and only two eyes and dark, curly hair and-

His antennae caught up, identifying the scents of fruit and salt and the tang of iron-riddled blood.

“Uugh, it’s a human!” The nerve of some soft-bodied little morsel, sneaking its way down here. And, he realized, wearing  _ his _ seashells! Why was the little brunch wearing his trinkets?!

Well, Tamatoa supposed he could ask. “What are you doing down here? In the Realm of the Mons-”

That was distracting. 

“Just pick an eye, babe. I can’t- I can’t concentrate on what I’m saying if you keep- yep, pick one. Pick one!”

Glaring helped to straighten that out.  The little snack’s squirming stopped, too, and that would definitely make eating it easier.

“You’re a funny looking little thing, aren’t you?” he asked, peering closer. Granted, all the tasty little humans tended to look the same, but this one had something about it that was ringing a bell somewhere in his head.

A glint of blue around its throat caught his attention, and he brought his damaged leg forward to carefully pluck at it.

_ “Don’t! That’s my Grandma’s!” _

Oh, the little bite thought that would mean something to him! How cute!

“Oooh, that’s my Grandma’s!” he lilted his voice in a mocking tone, then dropped the act just as quickly. “I  _ ate _ my Grandma!” He hadn’t, really, but the little morsel was keeping the theme of  _ eating _ on the forefront of his mind, and prey tasted better when it was afraid - something about the oxygenation of the blood when hyperventilating, it was truly delectable - so, you know, a little exaggeration would be well worth the effort.

But! Back to the original question! “Why are you here?!” Surely hoping to steal-

What was that noise? That little bell ringing in the back of his mind rang just a little louder, and suspicion leapt to the forefront of his thoughts. Snacktime could wait; if this bite was a distraction and there was another one somewhere behind him, aiming to loot from his gorgeous hoard….

_ “ ‘Cause you’re amazing!” _

What the-? Was Lunch on Legs trying to be smart with him? Of course he’s amazing. What did that have to do with the shade of ichor in a sloth-monster’s gut?

He listened to the explanation. He felt a twinge of amusement at the horrible pun, and gave the little bite credit for trying. He would give it a chance to listen to the old song and dance  _ before _ eating it, because he was feeling generous after such a nice nap and pleasant dream. The poor, tiny morsel didn’t realize what it was getting itself into, now did it? You want to hear about the great Tamatoa?

You’ve got it, babe.

This is gonna be fun.

He set the mood with a ripple in the underside of the ocean; the wavering glimmer would attract enough fish for a suitable finale, if he didn’t miss his timing (which, of course, he never did.)

Brunch was paying rapt attention, curiosity shining forth from its teensy tiny features. Captive audience or not, the attention was flattering. But, Tamatoa had to remind himself, also a thief, and also food, so no need to be particularly gentle or kind. A little poke here, a little pull there, invading that personal space and taking in that sweet look of fear and desperation and awe. He could feel its abdomen heaving against his pincer, the fragile little ribcage straining against his grip, the breaths fluttering in and out as he swung the little snack about. Let’s add a threat, shall we? Oh, yes, claw to the throat, classic, very evocative, very satisfying, and even a bit of a prelude to the morsel’s near future. Perfect!

Tamatoa never missed his timing, and it was time to wrap this up. Right on cue came the appetizers - delicious! - and now, finally, my dear sweet little bite, thank you for your audience, but where they go you must follow. He lowered the little morsel down, watched the dawning horror creep across its face as realization sunk in, savoring the struggles as it tried so hard to fight inevitability. 

This is what you get, tiny morsel.  _ Nobody  _ steals from the great Tama-

_ “Hey! Crab cake!” _

...What the what?

Remember that little ringing bell? It was full on clanging, now.

Tamatoa slowly swivelled his head around to look at his shell, thoughts racing as he couldn’t quite believe what he had just heard, was still hearing. Maui?! But he’d  _ woken up _ before that horrible nightmare could be replayed. Hadn’t he? Yes, he definitely had, there was no disguising the reality of the tiny human he was about to-

….Ooooooh shit.

The thought that he had been about to do  _ exactly _ what Maui had ripped off his leg for crossed his mind at the same moment the demi-god brandished his hook high in the air. He gasped and, though it was too little too late, dropped the little mors- mortal. Mortal. Not food. Not in front of Maui, at any rate. Tamatoa remembered the sickening details of last time, and while anger roiled through him, it was buried under the fear, and the trauma, of what Maui had done to him.

Tamatoa flinched as the demi-god let out his characteristic  _ “Chee-hoo!”,  _ ugly memory raging through his mind.

And watched, baffled, as a tiny fish flopped onto his shell.

_ “Cheee-hooooooooo!” _

Wait a minute…

This was too good to be true! The little hero was  _ out of practice!  _ He couldn’t turn himself into a giant hawk if his life depended on it!

And, oohhh, did it  _ ever. _

“Well, well, well!”

Let’s turn the tables, shall we?

You unbalanced me, so let’s unbalance you. Tamatoa shook his carapace to and fro, knocking Maui off of his feet and sending him tumbling off the edge. Ah, but let’s not give him the chance to recover! His claw caught on the curve of the prized fishhook.

“You can’t swing it like you used to, man!”

I mean, really. You threw me away like so much garbage? Watch me throw you away, too.

The thud that Maui’s body made as it impacted the wall was oh, so satisfying. And the glare Maui sent his way was the icing on the cake.

Tamatoa sashayed closer, clicking his claws in contemplation. What to do next? What would Maui do? What would he expect? What would he  _ not _ expect? If Maui couldn’t control his shape-changing powers, perhaps he was out of practice fighting, as well?

Hmm, well, only one way to find out….

Broadcasting his swing loud and clear, Tamatoa barreled his claw forward, a hard hit in the making. And Maui, that poor little semi-god, fell for it, swinging with all his might to ward off a blow that Tamatoa pulled at the last possible second. Instead, he gripped the hook in his pincer, felt the jerk of Maui’s weight as he lost his balance. Suspicions confirmed, Tamatoa grinned. 

This is gonna be fun!

Up you get, old friend! Oh, sorry, I thought the ceiling was a bit higher.     

The spray of sand as the small body hit the ground was dazzling as the tiny specks of gold dust reflected the light. It was shiny enough that it  _ almost _ distracted Tamatoa from the human - the little  _ morsel _ \- running up to interfere. Alas for the human, it was not nearly so lucky. Or maybe it was, as Tamatoa pulled out a couple of smooth dance moves and incorporated a grab-and-toss in. The little snack had  _ better _ be appreciating this dinner show it was getting.

His attention was redirected as he caught sight of Maui reaching desperately for his fishhook. Tamatoa no longer feared the weapon in the demigod’s hands, but why let the little man get his hopes up? An utter, crushing sense of doom made it much more fun!

He reached out a leg and pinned Maui’s foot to the ground, then used it to drag him bodily back. Then, for good measure, he carefully distanced his pincer before letting it fall directly onto the demi-god’s body. He knew, from long past experience, just how much force that body could withstand. He was aiming only for pain, rather than permanent injury; the show was far from over.

Are you enjoying yourself, yet?

Ah, and there Maui did manage to get his hook. What a shame; Tamatoa would just have to take it away from him. He struck a glamorous pose and strummed the mini-god off of the hook in the same manner he’d seen humans strumming stringed instruments. It’s all about the performance, man.

Ooooh, and speaking of glamorous performance, time for a moonlit serenade! Lacking a moon, of course, Tamatoa himself would have to do. He struck the wall of his home to trigger his rigged clamshell skylight to close. He watched as his lair was cast into darkness. His bioluminescence activated and brightened the space around him, better than any moon ever could. He stalked forward, knowing he put on an impressive,  _ threatening _ display. Maui cowered before him, and Tamatoa’s antennae tasted the scent of fear emanating out from the small, squishy body. He was not unaccustomed to the scent of fear from his prey, but coming from Maui, it was near intoxicating.

And, say, what an opportune moment to rub some salt in the wound! That old,  _ old _ wound. Because our friendship was never enough for you, was it? You were always chasing someone else’s love. Never content with what you had, never happy with your lot.

Are you content now? Here, let me wipe that stupid smile off your face for you.

Are you happy? Let me help you jump for joy.

Showing off for the humans again? Let me utterly humiliate you.

Yes, there is your hook. There is everything that makes you what you are. And you can’t even reach it, can you? You’re not even strong enough to be you.

But look at me! Look at me shining, glowing,  _ winning _ . Look at me fulfilling my dream while you rot in your nightmare. What are you going to do about it?

Nothing.

Except  _ die. _

_ “Hey! I got something shiny for ya!” _

Tamatoa had all but forgotten the tiny little morsel loitering in his cave. He turned now to see why it dared interrupt his vengeful snacking, but his mind blanked for an instant as he took in a green glow.

Although Tamatoa had never managed to find the Heart of Te Fiti, he had certainly tried. He had picked through the stories of all sorts of monsters who had claimed to have seen it (and then picked through their remains for the tastiest bits), so he knew, in theory, what it was supposed to look like.

It was supposed to look an awful lot like that.

His demi-meal forgotten, he gave chase after the human, giving it no further thought as it tripped and lost the Heart into one of the cracks in his floor. Tamatoa dug in after it, his mind awhirl with the possibilities. The power of creation! It would lend him even more power to be leveraged down here in Lalotai. With it, he could create as much treasure as he ever wanted - and a bigger home to keep it in. He could even, he believed, regrow his missing leg.

So close, so close! Such a tiny gem, he had to dig carefully around so as not to crush it. Had to dig around it enough that he could leverage his pincer in to grab it.

There! He had it! The Heart of Te Fiti! Right here in his claw!

Wait.

As he inspected it, he noticed several small, feathery legs flailing about, a rough edge around a hard shell, and his antenna picked up the aroma of a freeloader. A barnacle. Before smearing it in the glowing green algae that was everywhere in his lair, the human must have somehow prised it off of…

Actually, stop, the details don’t matter right now! Tamatoa crushed the tiny creature without a second thought, then turned to race after the fleeing interlopers. He saw them squeeze through a narrow gap in the shell walls of his home; in light of thievery and betrayal and trickery and a late lunch, Tamatoa opted to ignore his door in favor of the more direct route. 

“Come back here!” he growled, pincers snapping, rushing toward his meal in an unchecked charge. A roar rose in his throat, and he let his many frustrations fuel it. He saw the human and the demi-god turn, fear streaking across their faces like lightning in the sky of the world above, and satisfaction settled low into his gut as he reached-

An explosion of water hit him in the face, the pressure building quickly to the point that it knocked him over backwards. Flabbergasted, Tamatoa watched the pair of tiny bipeds hurtle upwards and into the ocean above.

“Hey!” he called, but thought better of adding ‘come back here!’ again because obviously that wasn’t going to happen. But maybe, at the least, if he wasn’t going to get the chance to eat them, he should at least get to know...

“Hey! Did you like the song?”

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't actually know what a barnacle is so I looked it up. I found more questions than answers. I'm hoping I can handwave with "Lalotai, amiright?" and be done with it lol.


End file.
